Geranium plant named ‘Fisum Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Fisum Pink’, characterized by its upright and rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering habit; salmon pink-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held above and beyond the foliage on moderately strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Pelargonium×hortorumcultivar Fisum Pink.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisum Pink’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with uniformplant habit and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2000 of two unnamed proprietary selections ofPelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The cultivar Fisum Pink wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in DeLier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2002 has shownthat the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fisum Pink’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fisum Pink’ as a new cultivar and distinguishit from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars (including the parentalselections):

-   -   1. Upright and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering habit.    -   4. Salmon pink-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held        above and beyond the foliage on moderately strong peduncles.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thecultivar Palais, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,315. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the newZonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Palais primarily ingrowth habit as plants of the new Geranium were more freely branchingthan plants of the cultivar Palais.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Bergpalais, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differedfrom plants of the cultivar Bergpalais in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more freely branching        than plants of the cultivar Bergpalais.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more salmon        in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Bergpalais.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprisesa side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fisum Pink’grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Fisum Pink have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations, and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in January in 12-cmpots in De Lier, The Netherlands, and grown under commercial practice ina glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 17 to 20°C., night temperatures ranging from 6 to 14° C., and light levelsranging from 10,000 to 50,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph andthe detailed botanical description were about one year old. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Fisum Pink.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cutttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 7 days at 21° C.            Winter: About 10 days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 18 to 22            days at 21° C. Winter: About 26 to 30 days at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, freely branching; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright and rounded plant habit;            uniform; densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit. Freely branching, about five lateral branches develop            without pinching, that is, removal of terminal apices.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 27 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About            6 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Densely            pubescent. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 144B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 6.6 cm. Width: About 7.9 cm. Shape: Orbicular to            reniform. Apex: Rounded acute. Base: Cordate. Margin:            Crenate; undulate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Densely            pubescent. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A;            towards the base, 143A; distinct zonation pattern, 147A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: 137B to 137C. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; distinct zonation            pattern, between 147A and N189A. Fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: 138A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:            144A. Petiole: Length: About 6.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: 143A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Salmon pink-colored, rotate and            semi-double flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels            arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the            foliage on moderately strong peduncles. Flowers face upright            to outwardly. Umbels persistent, flowers not persistent.            Flowers slightly fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; at full flower,            plants have at least about five open and developing umbels            with about 60 flowers per umbel.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In            the garden, flowering is continuous from late spring until            fall.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six days on the plant.        -   Umbel height.—About 7.2 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 8.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: Towards the base, 144A to 144B;            towards the apex, 157D; at the apex, 36D.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About            2.6 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Apex:            Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: 43C to 43D. When opening, lower surface: 49D;            towards the base, 49A. Fully opened, upper surface: Between            43C and 48B; color does not fade with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: 49A. Venation, upper and lower            surfaces: Same as petal color.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About three. Length: About 2            cm; irregular in size. Width: About 1.1 cm; irregular in            size. Shape: Variable, roughly obovate. Apex: Mostly            rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            and lower surfaces: 43C to 43D. Fully opened, upper and            lower surfaces: Between 43C and 48B; color does not fade            with development. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Same            as petaloid color.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower            surface: Densely pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            144A to 144B.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 14.3 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Angle: About 20° from vertical. Strength:            Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 143A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.9 cm.            Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Angle: About 15° from vertical.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A            to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:            About five to ten. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:            Narrowly oblong. Anther color: 182B. Filament length: About            7 mm. Filament color: N155A; towards the apex, 47B. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: N172A to N172B. Gynoecium:            Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3 mm.            Stigma shape: Terete; reflexed. Stigma color: 51A. Style            length: About 2 mm. Style color: 51A to 51B. Ovary color:            138B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from 4 to    40° C. and have good garden performance.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘FisumPink’, as herein illustrated and described.